


HSMTMTS: Backstage

by notthatinteresting



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Bisexual Ricky Bowen (HSM: The Series), Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, High School, Lesbian Gina Porter, Multi, One Shot, Pansexual Nini Salazar-Roberts, Past Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen Needs A Hug (HSM: The Series)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25376044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notthatinteresting/pseuds/notthatinteresting
Summary: All the little fics my brain can muster
Relationships: Ashlyn Caswell/Kourtney, Big Red/Ashlyn Caswell, Big Red/Ricky Bowen (HSM: The Series), E.J. Caswell/Nini Salazar-Roberts, Gina Porter/Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen/E.J. Caswell, Ricky Bowen/Gina Porter, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts, Seb Matthew-Smith/Carlos Rodriguez
Kudos: 15





	HSMTMTS: Backstage

**Author's Note:**

> Hello world!  
> Tis my first little book in a series of wips  
> I am open to suggestions and constructive criticism  
> Requests open  
> Shipping characters not actors  
> I think that's it  
> Enjoy reading I guess

Ricky has never been what some would call verbally romantic. In his defense the only two people he's ever been in love with were his best friends and he's always been very physically affectionate. There wasn't a moment when he wasn't laying in Nini's lap or grabbing her hand or punching Big Red in the shoulder or asking for a hug. Red gave really good hugs.

When he and Nini started dating he figured it'd be easy to just tell her how he feels. He was gonna do it, he swore he would. He was just waiting for the right time. 

It was their one year anniversary. He was at her house, in her room, just hanging out. Everything was great. Nini told him to check his Instagram. He opened the app to find a video of Nini.

"What's is this?" Ricky asked looking at her. Nini urged him to just watch. Ricky looked back at his phone as the video played and the song Nini had written for him filled his ears. It took a while for it all to click in his head. It didn't really until he heard her say it out loud.

"I do, Ricky. I love you." Ricky froze. This was great all he had to now was say it back. But something stopped him. Fear crept in the back of his mind. What if she didn't mean it? What if she stopped meaning it? What if they ended up like his parents?

Speak of the devil. His phone buzzed in his hand. His mom was home. He used it as an excuse to leave. He sort of blacked out after that. What did he just do?

Turns out what he did was make a huge mistake. By the end of the summer Nini had a new boyfriend and Ricky was back to square one on the love thing. At least he still had Big Red. Big Red who cared enough to be there when he auditioned for the school musical to win Nini back. Big Red who let him sleep in his bedroom when things at home got a little overwhelming. Big Red who was his "date" to homecoming because frankly he was out of options. Big Red who... Ricky was totally in love with.

It was Thanksgiving. His first Thanksgiving without his mom. He missed her. He tried to call her but some guy —her new boyfriend apparently — answered instead. There was a party at Ashlyn's. He wasn't going to go. But then Gina showed up and dragged him to it. He actually had fun. He forgot about everything going on with Nini and his parents and the unexplored feelings for his other best friend. Right now he was just Ricky and he was just having a great time with his even greater new friends. 

Until, of course, something had to crash the party. Gina's mom told her that they were moving again. She left and the party sort of died after that. It didn't feel right to continue without her. Ricky left shortly after Gina, feeling hopeless and tired.

Red caught up to him several blocks away from the house breathing heavily. Ricky stopped and let him catch his breath. 

"Did you run all the way from Ashlyn's?" Ricky asked when they started walking again. 

Red nodded. "Yep."

Ricky glanced at him perplexed. "Why?"

"Well I stayed behind to help Ashlyn but I saw when you left and you looked upset so here I am." Red smiled as if presenting himself.

Ricky shook his head and started walking faster. 

Red's smile dropped as he sped up with his friend. 

"Come on man, you've been way too quiet lately. I know it's rough with Nini and your parents and whatever happened with Gina but you gotta talk to me. I'm here. I'm listening. "

"Nothing happened with Gina, okay!" Ricky said a little too loudly. 

"How would I know, you haven't told me anything." Red snapped back.

"Well maybe because I can't," Ricky said sounding more irritated.

Red stopped walking. "Why not?"

Ricky stopped as well still a bit ahead. "Because it's about you!" Ricky's eyes welled up with tears of fear, or of anger. Who's to say?

Red stepped back. "What do you like hate me now or something?" Red sounded hurt.

Ricky's hard exterior faded as he moved closer to his best friend. "I don't hate you."

"Then what?" 

Ricky tucked his hands in his pockets. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I love you."

Red rolled his eyes. "Yeah dude I love you too. What's your problem though?" 

"No I-" Ricky huffed out a breath because suddenly it was hard to breathe. "I mean I love you. Like I was supposed to love Nini or did at one point. I don't know what happened you were just there when I needed it and you make it so much easier to exist. I've always wanted that, and I thought I had it with Nini. But everytime I thought about kissing Nini I just wanted it to be you."

Red stared at Ricky stunned. Both of them stood frozen in time, minds racing 100 miles an hour. 

"U-um," Red stutters out breaking the silence. 

"It's fine. We're just friends, I know and this probably made it weird but please don't leave me." Ricky begged. "I am so, so lonely," he whispered sounding more and more defeated. He looked at the ground. 

Red placed a hand on Ricky's shoulder. "Hey," he said quietly, prompting Ricky to look at him. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere. Besides I've been meaning to tell you, I love you too. This summer was the best summer of my life , in spite of everything. We were hanging out again, just the two of us. I had my best friend back. That's kind of when I figured it out and I was going to tell you but you wanted to get back with Nini and then you joined the musical and I just thought at least I could be along for the ride." 

"God, we're a mess," Ricky laughed through the tears. 

"Yeah I guess we are." In the time that passed, Red's hand had traveled from Ricky's shoulder down to his wrist. Red made the split second decision to interlock their fingers and squeeze Ricky's hand. 

"One more thing." He said softly.

"Huh-" Before Ricky could get the word out Red was up on his tippy toes pressing their lips together. He could still taste Gina's cupcakes on the corners to of Ricky's mouth. After a few seconds Ricky deepened the kiss pulling Red in closer by his neck. They smiled as they pulled away arms still wrapped tightly around each other.

"Red?" Ricky said quizzically.

"Yeah," Red answered. 

"Do you wanna go someplace tomorrow? Skate around till we find a spot maybe." Ricky broke eye contact. 

"You mean like a date?" Red's voice is a mix or shock and intrigue. 

Ricky caved into himself letting go of Red and stepping back into a lamppost. "Or not. Totally up to you. I just thought th-"

"Yes Ricky I will go on a date with you." Red states, nodding fondly at his fumbling friend. 

"Really?" Ricky stood up off the lamppost. 

"Yes," Red confirms. 

Ricky jolts forward to hug Red almost sending them both to the ground. "I love you." He says beaming. "I love you so much."

Red grinned wrapping his arms around the taller boy. "Right back at ya dude."

It was that word. Dude. Once platonic and meaningless. The word they'd gotten so used to saying it just rolled off their tongues. This time it just felt right. Somehow they both knew it meant 'love of my life.'


End file.
